Research Results in Plain English

About

About Biotechnology Digest

Why are scientific research articles so hard to read? The answer, of course, is that scientists communicate using a language that is full of lengthy terms and jargon. In addition, in order to express themselves precisely, scientists sometimes attribute specialized definitions to commonly used words and phrases. Unless you know the scientific definition of those words and phrases, you probably will not understand the writing. All of this can make reading scientific literature a frustrating experience for non-scientists. I believe that the public would enjoy science more if it was written more simply. My goal for this blog is to make scientific research accessible to non-scientists by translating it into plain English. As a rule, I don’t use confusing scientific terms or jargon. If I must use a term, I either define it or link you to someone else’s clear and concise definition. On the other hand, I don’t dumb down or alter the meaning of the work. The result is a condensed, easily understood, and interesting article.

I hope you enjoy the Biotechnology Digest. If you have an article that you want Digested, suggest it!

About the Author

Deborah Thompson is a biotechnology professional with over 15 years of research and development experience in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Cell Culture, Botany and Entomology. She has authored peer-reviewed publications in subjects ranging from plant and insect gene regulation to protein expression, biopesticides and bioremediation. Deborah has a PhD in Genetics and is enthusiastic about encouraging people of all ages to understand science. She has mentored researchers, taught science in elementary school, and organized and judged science fairs. Deborah is passionate about explaining complex scientific concepts to non-scientists.

About the Editor

Ken Thompson has been in the software and technical writing fields for many years. The least he can do is edit his wife’s blog.